Former Australia captain Michael Clarke is concerned whether experienced left-hander David Warner is getting to choose his opening partner for the Test series against India rather than the selectors deciding the best option.
Warner had recently tilted towards Joe Burns being retained at the top in a debate also involving uncapped Will Pucovski whose stellar domestic form is screaming for recognition.
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Pucovski is dominating the Sheffield Shield run-charts but is set to be overlooked for Burns despite the latter showing poor run, with head coach Justin Langer, skipper Tim Paine and even Warner backing his case.
"How does Will Pucovski feel sitting on the sideline reading this in the paper? If he does get nod, he’s walking out to bat with David Warner and he’s reading a headline — if you read the article it’s very different to the headline," Clarke said on Sky Sports Radio’s 'Big Sports Breakfast'.
"David Warner doesn’t sit there and say ‘I want Joe Burns, I don’t want Will’ but if you read the headline that’s how it comes across."
"So unless Will Pucovski is reading every word, he’s going to think ‘David doesn’t want to open the batting with me, he wants to open with Joe Burns’. So it’s a horrible position for everyone to be in."
"His [Warner’s] comments are fine. He respects Joe Burns, he enjoys batting with Joe Burns, he’s good friends with Joe Burns, but he’s not a selector."
Trevor Hohns, the Australian chief selector, also said he would definitely consult Warner in finalising his partner for the opening Test of the summer in Adelaide.
Another former skipper, Ricky Ponting, however, doesn't think it's the greatest of ideas and said the selectors should be holding a decisive call in such matters.
"I'm surprised they're even asking him [Warner], to be honest. I know what they're talking about because they have done well when they've played together. It's an interesting thing for a selector to come out and say," Ponting said.
"At the end of the day, they've just got to pick who they think the best player is. And if they think their best player and best option is Joe Burns, then stick with him. If they think Pucovski is a better player here and now, they should go with him."
"I'm just reading the tea leaves a little bit, even with what Justin had to say about the relationship between Burns and Warner, my gut feeling is they won't go to Pucovski just yet," he added.
